Education, Employment, Muslims and India

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India is home to second largest Muslim community in the world. This is a matter of pride for Indians of all faiths including Muslims. We are happy that our forefathers participated in the freedom struggle. We are happy that they chose to stay in India even when opportunities seemed to be better across the border. Hats off to those wise men and women who even when given a choice and sometime against heavy odds chose to stay put.

Unfortunately, India has not acknowledged contribution of Muslims in immediately post-Independent India, the difficulties they faced in their daily lives and systematic discrimination against them. Muslims continue to be patriotic in India and they continued to be discriminated against. For the first time we are realizing that this discrimination affects not only poor uneducated Muslims but also highly educated Muslims.

Two months ago I reported that Muslims who have no land and low level of education are vulnerable in the employment sector.

Most of us sincerely believed that education is the key in getting Muslims out of poverty and therefore resources and energy have poured into establishment of schools and colleges and distribution of scholarships to help Muslim youth acquire higher education and level the playing field in rapidly globalized Indian economy.

Now it seems that even a good education from a reputed university is no guarantee that a Muslim will have an equal chance in getting a call for interview. A recent study by Prof. Sukhdeo Thorat, chairperson of the University Grants Commission reveals that having a Muslim name cuts your chance of getting an interview call by one third.

It appears that India will have more private sector jobs compared to once desired government jobs. Therefore it is high time that corporate India get sensitized about the diversity that exists in India. Sachar Committee’s excellent idea of an incentive based ‘diversity index’ and positive affirmative action in private sector seems to be a good solution to overcome that discrimination that exists for Dalits and Muslims. This is not same as reservation system; it is an attempt to level the playing field for candidates of different caste and religion but equal education and work experience. Ensuring that all candidates from different background get a fair shot is all what one is asking.

Given the chance to work in an environment that is as diverse as India it will remove biases from all of us by improving our understanding of others. If nothing else it will help us see that good work is not dependent on caste or religion. Shammi Abidi, ranked 16th in this year’s UPSC exam tells us that good work remove all biases.

Tagged as: discrimination, Education, Employment